It was such a simple problem to fix that when the final ball came into Manchester United’s box, in the fourth minute of time added on at the end of the game, it was extraordinary that Chris Smalling, wincing, immobile and in discomfort was supposed to be holding together the defence

On the touchline, Jose Mourinho later said that he saw catastrophe approaching and tried his best to avert it, calling over Ashley Young to pass on instructions that presumably involved getting Smalling as far away from danger as possible. But when Harry Maguire came rumbling in at the back post to meet Marc Albrighton’s cross it was still Smalling who was the man in position to stop him when really the United centre-half should have been halfway up the pitch.